Automatic position-indicator for guns.



W. D. KILHOY.

AUTOMATIC POSITION INDICATOR FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 1910.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

7 SHEETSSHEET I.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, n. c,

W. D. KILROY.

AUTOMATIC POSITION INDICAIOR FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1910.

1,158,233. Pafented Oct. 26, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. D c,

. W. D. KILROY.

AUTOMATIC POSITION INDICATOR FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZG. 1910.

1,158.,Q33. Iatented Oct. 26, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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AUTOMATIC POSITION INDICATOR FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 1910.

Patented 0013. 26, 1915.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAI'H co., WASHINGTON, D4 :2.

W. D. KILROY.

AUTOMATIC POSITION INDICATOR FOR-GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 1910.

35%,233. Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

7 SHEETSSHEET 5.

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e YEP Q ca A; W O Q o 9/ o T Vi'ZZie 1?; 21709 COLUMBIA PLANUGRM'II cu,WASHINGTON, n. c.

W. D. KILROY.

AUTOMATIC POSITION INDICATOR FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. I910.

1,158,233. Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH CO..\VASHINGTON. n. c

W. D. KILROY.

AUTOMATIC POSITION INDICATOR FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 1910.

1,158,238. Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7- (fl w Jaw 7% W 9 f gd 2977M COLUMBIA FLANOGQAPH(IO-,WASHINGTON. n. c.

WILLIE DICKSON KILROY, OF CHISWICK, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC POSITION-INDICATOR FOR GUNS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. 26, 1915.

Application filed May 26, 1910. Serial No. 563,643.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIE DIOKSON KIL? ROY, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain and Ireland, and residing at Acton Lane Works, Chiswick,in the county of MiddleseX, England, have invented a certain new anduseful Automatic Position-Indicator for Guns, of which the following isa specification. 1

This invention relates to the automatic indication of certain relativepositions of guns or the like, such as, for example, on dangeringpositions of firing where, should a gun be fired, it might damageanother gun or other object which it is not desired to damage, or causea blast which would have injurious effect.

The object of the present invention is to obtain improved means for thispurpose which shall be simple and reliable in action.

The invention in brief consists in a system of danger and likeindication including in combination a plurality of guns, one capable ofendangering another, representations to a reduced scale of theendangering area of the first gun and of the area of the part of thesecond gun capable of endangerment by the first gun, saidrepresentations comprising electrical contacts hereinafter referred toas endangering and endangered contacts respectively; an electric circuitincluding a signal, said contacts forming a switch in said circuit, saidrepresentations being adapted to copy the training motion of the gunsrespectively and two independent switches included in said circuit, eachof said switches adapted to be operated by the elevating motion of oneof the guns.

This invention is applicable to guns of all sizes mounted singly or intwin or other mountings, and is especially useful in con-' nection withthe guns on modern warships when, owing to their great range of action,both as regards training, elevation and depression, it becomes extremelyimportant to provide an eflicient yet simple method of giving indicationof danger which does not unnecessarily restrict the firing of the guns.

Referring to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings; Figure l-representsin plan a training model with endangering and endangered contacts a andb, Fig. 2 shows an elevation of two guns A and B elevated above thehorizontal the gun A having for the purpose of explanation when thefigure is considered to represent a model, an endangering contactattached thereto; Fig. 3 rep resents electrical connections according toone construction when the gun A may be en dangering B; Fig. 4 representsa diagram of connections applied in one way to twin mountings; Fig. 5shows diagrammatically a complete arrangement for two guns according toone form of the invention, the guns with their turrets being shown inelevation and the tables carrying the training models or representationsfor convenience being shown in plan; Fig. 6 illustrates a constructionof elevation switch with eXternal gearing; Fig. 7 is a plan view lookingfrom below and Fig. 8 a part sectional elevation of one constructionincluding endangering and endangered contacts according to the presentinvention; Fig. 9 is a part sectional view, and Fig. 10 a section on theline 10/10 of Fig. 9 of a form of operating gear for the training of amodel.

In Fig. 1 a and b are representations both as to scale and position oftwo gun mountings carrying respectively electrical contacts a and b. Theformer represents the endangering area of a gun such as A (Fig. 2) andthe latter the area of a gun such as B (Fig. 2) capable of endangermentby the first mentioned gun.

The representations or models a and b are arranged to be moved asregards training in the same degree as the guns, the former beingpivoted at the point 0 and latter at cl.

(See Fig. 1.) This can conveniently be effected as diagrammaticallyillustrated in Fig. 2 by mounting them respectively on the tables 9 andit, provided with geared edges which are driven by gearing from thetrunks e and f of the guns A and B.

In operation as the guns are trained so the model guns are alsotrainedand in positions where the gun A might endanger the gun 13contact ismade at the parts a and 7). It may be that although the gunsare in positions as regards training in which one might endanger theother, yet the elevation may be such that there is no risk oi thisdanger.

Fig. 3 illustrates a scheme for taking clevation into account as well astraining. In this case arm f/ and segment arm 46 are moved in anysuitable -manner (see below with reference to Fig. 5) across contactsu-a; and t respectively as the guns are elevated or depressed.Electrical leads join the contacts a0@ to the contacts "tg respectivelyas illustrated. In addition :electrical connections are made from thearm y by way of signals 2 and ;a source of electric supply to thecontacts a and from the com tactbx :to: the segment arena 4L6.

In operation assuming that the models are the position indicated eitherby 1 or by 2-in Fig, 1 contact would be made at a and I) .but'noysignalwould be given in the indicators 2 unless both the arms 46were in such position that the electrical circuit would be completed byway of :the leads joining the contacts aa"' to the contacts t' g. Inother words the arrangement takes into account both elevation training.

If the elevation and trainingwere such that danger conditions as regardsone gun with respect to another Were present then notice would be givenby the indicator 2. If not no notice would be given.

Fig. ishows a scheme altered as regards two particulars as compared withFig. In the first place the arrangement is to be apip'liedto twinmounting so that the contactsa and b are duplicated and the same appliesto the elevation switches. The contacts a are joined by a lead lb. Theother difierence applies-to the contacts '2) which are divided into fourparts. This alteration involves the use of tour fingers m, 71;, 0, pcarried-on the segment L6 corresponding to 'each'gim mounting andelectrical leadsare taken from these arms to the contacts asillustrated. The reason of the division of the contacts is to prevent toa considerable extent unnecessary restriction of firing. The arrangementillustrated assumes that both guns in a twin mountin are depressed orelevated in equally dangerous position the more dangerous of the two.

Such an assumption is not essential to constructions according to thepresent invention but it is one which may generally be adopted. v

A complete system for single gun mountlngs and including a dividedcontact Z2 is shown in Fig. 5 in which the elevation switch of thegun Bcomp-rises a sector 46 carrylnrg contact fingers m, n, 0, 39, etc,

which pass 'overelectrical: contacts 9, r, s, t

' u V etc, connected as shown wlth a seriesof' contacts 00-, w, u, t,etc., in connection with the gunA. The number of thesecontactselectl'irough segment 46, carrying the contact fingers n, 0, 7), etc.,thence to the contacts 2', k, Z, carried .on .7), of the gun model, andwhen a contacts with 5 back to the other side of the supply source. Thetraining motionof the-guns A and B is {comm-unicated by the trunks e andf and racks 1.01, 102 .to the tables h and g respectively, throughgearing I03 and 104. On the tables are mounted the models correspondingto the. path of the projectile plus minimum clearance 66 in respect ofgun A and the divided contact 6 corresponding to the part of Jgun Bcapable of endangerment by gun A. By this means a model in plan of theendangered part of one gun and the endangering zone ion.- the other gunis obtained which copies the training of the guns. As regards elevation,a sector it is moved with the gun i3 and has con-tact arms which passover the series of contacts 1", s, t, ctc., electrically connected withanother series of contacts as w, o, a, etc, in connection with the gunA. V

A change-over switch 17 operated by a cam on the trunk e is interposedin the conducting wir'es connecting the contacts, 0:, w, a, :u,'.etc.,with the contacts 9, r, s, 16, etc, and is adaptedto be operated bymeans of a bell crank lever operated by the training of the guns. Bythis means the various contacts can be thrown operatively into thecircuit and consequently the range of elevation is thereby extended ordiminished. The reason for the use of a switch such as 17 is that fordifferent positions of training diiferent ranges of elevation anddepression can be gi n to a gun without causing dangerous as regardsanother gun. This can be understood from Fig. 2 in which for purposes ofeiqrl'an-ation an area 20 has been drawn on to the muzzle of the gun A,part being shaded and part unshaded. The shaded area represents the pathof the projec'tile :Erom the gun A together with the necessary clearanceto prevent endangerment of the gun B by a hot blast if the guns be inthe position as regards elevation shown Fig. 2 and if as regardstraining they be in a position corresponding with the position of thetraining models indicated by 1 inF-ig. 1. Then no danger condition ispresent. If the guns are trained to a position corresponding to that ofthe training models indicated by 2 in Fig. 1

then the muzzle of the gun B would be liable to be endangered by gunfirefrom the gun A. Thus while the guns were trained in the positionindicated by 1 an area corresponding to the shaded part would properlyrepresent an endangering area yet for a training position correspondingto 2 the area would have to be increased-by the addition of an amountequal to the unshaded part. This addition is automatically effectedaccording to the arrangement of Fig. 5 by the change-over switch 17which brings into action contacts of difierent lengths as requiredaccording to the training of the gun A.

Certain mechanical details of construction are illustrated in theremaining drawings, viz :F igs. 6-10.

Fig. 6 shows how a sector such as 46 can be operated through gearing asthe gun is elevated or depressed. The sector is mounted on the spindleof a pinion 4:7 in gear with a circular rack 48 mounted on an arm 19connected with the gun cradle 45.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate how the training models or representations canbe arranged. In these figures the endangering contact a is carried onthe disk 9 and rotated by the pinion 60 geared as through shafting tothe endangering turret. The endangered contacts (assuming a twinmounting) are formed by two sets of lungers i, j, 70, Z, carried on thedisk it w iich is rotated by the pinion 58 driven from the endangeredturret. The disk 9 is connected for the reception of current by a springcontact 100 pressing against a stationary plate 61. The current passesfrom the contact 100 through a lead 62 to the contact a. Current passesfrom the contacts 2', j, 70, Z by Way of strips 690 and brass rods 69 ofdifferent lengths to brushes 7 O, thence by way of suitable connectionsin the same manner as indicated in Fig. 5.

In the construction illustrated a glass window 71 is provided having aremovable gun metal cap 72 so that the setting of the tables may beexamined. The setting is indicated by a pointer 710 and a scale oftraining which is placed around both tables. It the setting be notcorrect, that is if the training of the guns does not correspond to thetraining indication on both tables then the table with the wrongtraining is rotated by removing a cover 64 (shown in connection with thetable It) and turning a Worm 65. This worm is of slow pitch so thatalthough it can be turned to vary the setting of the tables it properlytransmits rotation from the turret to the tables.

A method of driving the pinions 58 and 60 from their respective turretsis shown in Figs. 9 and 10 comprising a shaft 172 which passes through abulkhead 73 and is there provided with a watertight joint indicated by78. The shaft is protected by steel tubing 7st, is mounted in a springbracket 77 and rotated by the rack and pinion 101, 75, in the case oftrunk e.

In this specification and claims I wish it to be understood that I donot limit myself to guns endangered by other guns but include fixed ormovable objects which may be in or may pass into the danger zoneof oneor more guns, so that for example one model may represent an endangeringgun operating with a model of the object required to be protected.

The endangering or endangered contacts may be enlarged to any desiredextent beyond the real area of danger, in order to give the desirablefactor of safety.

It will be understood that danger indications of any suitable kind canbe given according to the present invention whether by sound, visualindications, or any other desired kind, and wherever the words signal ordanger indications or danger signal occur in this specification orclaims they are to be understood as including suitable indication of anydesired kind whatever, and they may include, for example, in the systemwhere the indicator 2 is shown, or at any other suitable place, motorsfor operating indications, or for effecting control of dangerous firingin any other desired manner.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is z- 1. A. system of danger and likeindication including in combination a plurality of guns one capable ofendangering another, representations to a reduced scale of theendangering area of the first gun and of the area of the part 01? thesecond gun capable of endangerment by the first gun, saidrepresentations comprising electrical contacts, an electric circuitincluding a signal, said contacts forming a switch in said circuit, saidrepresentations adapted to copy the training motion of said gunsrespectively and two independent switches included in said circuit, eachof said switches adapted to be operated by the elevating motion of oneof the guns, substantially as described.

2. A system of danger or like indication including in combination aplurality of guns one capable of endangering another, model equivalentsadapted to copy one motion of the said guns, an electric circuit inwhich said models operate as a switch, said circuit including dangerindicating means and separately operated switches adapted to be moved bythe other motion of said guns.

3. A system of danger and like indication including two guns, onecapable of endangering the other, models of the respective guns arrangedin proximity 20 each other, one of said models being provided WithaContact strip representing the endangered area of the second gun and theother being provided With a similar contact strip representing theendangering area of the first gun means adapted to move said medels tocopy the training motion of the respective guns an electric circuitincludingsaid mod- 10 el e, a danger indicating signala-ndi movablecontactsoperated by the elevating motion 01 said guns, all: included insaid circuit, suiesta-ntizul ly as described.

In tesfiime-ny whereof, I a-ffix my signature in pwes'vnce of twoWitnesses.

WILLIE DICKSON KILROY.

Witnesses A. OUTHWAITE, G. F. W'AR-REN.

Copies. of this patent-may he obtained. fur-five cents wig. 8yadldres'sing the Commissioner of Patents;

Washmgtom-Dmi

